Definitions

Biometric Information - fingerprints and DNA profile.

Excluded offence - an excluded offence is any recordable offence:- That is not a qualifying offence.- That was committed when the person was under 18 years old.- For which the person was not given a custodial sentence of more than 5 years- That is the only recordable offence of which the person has been convicted.

IDENT1 – national fingerprint database.

Minor Offence - a minor offence is any recordable offence that is not a qualifying offence.

NDNAD – National DNA Database.

Penalty Notice for Disorder (PND) - a PND is a one-off fine that can be issued on the spot to anyone over the age of 16. They are issued for low level anti-social and nuisance offending such as drunk and disorderly.

PNC – Police National Computer

Qualifying offence - currently there are over 400 qualifying offences. They are the more serious offences such as murder, manslaughter, rape, wounding, assault occasioning grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, robbery and burglary. Also included are numerous sex, indecency and firearms offences.

Recordable offence - a recordable offence is one for which the police are required to keep a record. Generally speaking, these are crimes for which an individual could be sentenced to a term of imprisonment. However, it also includes a number of non-imprisonable offences for example begging and illegal taxi touting. The police are not able to take or retain the DNA or fingerprints of an individual who is arrested for an offence which is not recordable.